DUNCAN Skinner has gone from being chief financial officer of a world-leading company with 28,000 employees in 35 countries to helping to keep 42 people in jobs at an ageing factory in Aberdeen – but he is loving the challenge.

In 2011, just five years after Duncan and Bob Keiller borrowed $300million to buy PSN from Halliburton subsidiary KBR, they were sold for $1billion to Wood Group.

It was an outstanding deal and one that not only brought an exceptional return for investors but also allowed Duncan to devote his time towards helping others.

His main project is transforming Glencraft – formerly the Royal Workshops for the Blind – into a successful, sustainable social enterprise business.

He has already used his skills and motivated others to save the firm when they went into liquidation in 2009 after being a fixture in the city for 170 years.

Now, he wants to secure their long-term future.

Duncan is a committee member and former chairman of the Scottish Council Development and Industry (SCDI) and his interest in helping social enterprises was sparked by a lunchtime visit arranged by the organisation to three companies – The Foyer, The Bread Maker and Instant Neighbour.

He said: “I was knocked out by people working to help the disabled and young kids in trouble – and not for profit. To keep giving them employment and dignity really struck a chord with me.

“A short time afterwards, I was climbing in the west coast with a friend and she was asking what I was going to do with my time. I said I fancied getting involved in social enterprises.

“A month later, Glencraft closed and I got a text from her saying simply, ‘Glencraft?’ That was the trigger.” Duncan called the liquidator and arranged to see him the next day.

That morning, by sheer coincidence, Bob said to him: “I’ve been to three dinners this week and at every one, people have been saying something needs to be done about Glencraft. Can we organise a fundraiser or something?

“I suggested he come with me to meet the liquidator and that was what happened.”

When they arrived, they expected to find overwhelming support for Glencraft and that they might not be needed. They were wrong – they were the only lifeline.

Duncan spent the weekend poring over the figures.

He said: “The one thing I noted was that there was massive capacity in the factory and they were only producing at 25 per cent. So, if we could sell more and cut costs, we had a business to run.”

He headed the rescue bid and among their supporters was First Minister Alex Salmond, who impressed him with not just his empathy but also his knowledge of the situation.

Aberdeen City Council waived the rent for the first year and in preparation for the reopening, Duncan and Bob held one-to-one interviews with all 52 who were made redundant.

He said: “We wanted to hear their stories, get their ideas and give them some comfort that we were doing all we could.”

On April 19, 2010, with jobs for all 42 of those who wanted to return, Glencraft reopened.

He said: “The support we’ve had from the council, the Scottish Government and individuals in the business community such as Stewart Spence, Peter Bruce and Sharon Lindop, and from private enterprise, has been fantastic over the past three years.

“And local customers returning to Glencraft has been encouraging.

“It has been really amazing and we’ve done some great things in terms of turning the business around.

“We’ve cut overheads by 60 per cent and doubled sales but the business was losing a hell of a lot before it closed and it’s still losing money.”

High points have included being chosen by Sainsbury’s Garthdee as their local charity of the year (following similar support from Ernst & Young and Wood Group in previous years), renewing their Royal Warrant and Duncan and Carl Hodson, the general manager, winning the Social Entrepreneur of the Year title at the Ernst & Young awards.

They have gradually made inroads into the oil and gas market as the only manufacturer of Crib 7 mattresses – the most fire-resistant product available.

He said: “We’re supplying Total, Apache and Talisman while Shell and BP use Glencraft through their supply chains. From a safety perspective, everyone should be buying these mattresses for offshore.”

He would also like to see members of the public at least considering Glencraft when looking to buy a new mattress or bed because he is confident they can match and better almost everyone for quality and cost.

He said: “We’ve sold 1100 beds a year on average to the public. Given that there are 500,000 people sleeping in the city and Aberdeenshire, that’s not a lot.”

It should soon be easier for the public to purchase from Glencraft as the company are in the latter stages of arranging to have their goods sold online by Tesco.

Duncan added: “Our mattresses are in Balmoral Castle, Gleneagles Hotel, the Marcliffe at Pitfodels and some other prestigious locations.

“And the First Minister sleeps on a Glencraft mattress so that’s not a bad recommendation.”

Although Duncan is devoting a lot of time to his Glencraft role, he is enjoying using his skills to help several other organisations – and trying to find some time to golf and climb (he has conquered 115 Munros so far), giving his wife Jackie “peace to work in her garden”.

He has joined the Robert Gordon University Foundation – a new charity to help the university further develop in the Aberdeen community.

He is also involved with Career Academies, which is just kicking off in the north-east and is aimed at arranging mentoring and finding internships for fifth and sixth-year pupils.

His roots in the Western Isles have led him to help set up a Hebridean Engineering Society – a new venture aimed at putting more youngsters through an engineering degree or HND at Lews Castle College.

An Aberdeen supporter, he’s just joined the AFC 50 Club. He is also a keen golfer and is vice-captain of Deeside Golf Club.